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Turkmenistan: Adventures in the Forgotten 'Stan
Group Tour
Overview
The least known of the ‘Stans, this 10-day tour provides a thorough exploration of the enigma that is Turkmenistan. Modern Turkmenistan was moulded in the image of its larger-than-life dictator, Saparmyrat Niyazov, but its distant deserts still echo with past tales of the ancient Silk Road.
Often overlooked, or hastily tagged onto a combo trip of the ‘Stans, this itinerary focusses on Turkmenistan’s western highlights. Bizarre and breathtaking best describe destinations along this route ...
The least known of the ‘Stans, this 10-day tour provides a thorough exploration of the enigma that is Turkmenistan. Modern Turkmenistan was moulded in the image of its larger-than-life dictator, Saparmyrat Niyazov, but its distant deserts still echo with past tales of the ancient Silk Road.
Often overlooked, or hastily tagged onto a combo trip of the ‘Stans, this itinerary focusses on Turkmenistan’s western highlights. Bizarre and breathtaking best describe destinations along this route which begins with a tour of the marble marvels of the capital, Ashgabat. An overnight Soviet sleeper train then takes us to the Caspian Sea port town of Turkmenbashi where, switching to 4WDs, we’ll head into the mesmerising and otherworldly landscapes of Yangikala Canyons. Thus begins a three-night camping excursion into the vast Karakum Desert with a night spent beside the fiery Darvaza gas crater. Back to (ancient) civilisation, the latter half of the journey enjoys a historical tour of the UNESCO ruins and legacies left by the formidable empires and great cities of the past including Konye Urgench, Merv and Gonur Depe, before ending back at the capital.
A real off-the-beaten-track destination, this tour provides the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of past explorers in search of remnants and riches found along some of the ‘forgotten’ routes of the Silk Road.
HIGHLIGHTS
At a glance
MEALS
TRANSPORT
GROUP SIZE
EXPERT TEAM
ACCOMMODATION
ENTRANCE FEES
FITNESS RATING
WILD MILES
ACCOMMODATION
Wherever possible on our trips, we aim to use characterful accommodation that enhances the overall travel experience. However, options in largely government-owned Turkmenistan are limited. So, on this particular trip we will mostly be staying in hotels, apart from 1n on an overnight train and 3n wild camping in the desert. Please note that the accommodation mentioned in the itinerary is intended as a guide only and is always subject to availability.FITNESS RATING
LOW: You should be comfortable walking around towns and cultural sites. May include some optional walks (typically 1-2hrs).LOW/MODERATE: May be of a long duration and/or involve numerous border-crossings. May include easy/moderate day walks (up to 2-3hrs/day). You should be relatively fit and lead a generally active lifestyle.
MODERATE: May include several easy/moderate day walks (up to 2-5hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You should be relatively fit and lead a generally active lifestyle. Previous experience of similar trips helpful.
MODERATE/HIGH: May involve several days of moderate hiking (up to 3-6 hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You must be a fit and active traveller with appropriate trekking experience.
HIGH: May involve several days of moderate/strenuous trekking (up to 4-7 hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You must be a very fit and active traveller with appropriate trekking experience.
Wild Miles Club
When you book a trip with Wild Frontiers you are awarded points, which are based on the return distance from London to the arrival city of your trip. Points are awarded for all our holidays, including both our escorted group tours and tailor-made trips. When you accrue points, you will qualify for the following discounts on all future bookings:
| Blue | More than 10,000 points | 2.5% discount |
| Bronze | More than 30,000 points | 5% discount |
| Silver | More than 45,000 points | 7.5% discount |
| Gold | More than 60,000 points | 10% discount |
Map & Itinerary
Individual departures may vary so please refer to the information in the tour specific links in the Dates and Prices section below
Day 1 Tour starts in Ashgabat: the Marble Capital
Day 1 Tour starts in Ashgabat: the Marble Capital
The adventure begins in Turkmenistan’s surreal capital with an afternoon tour of its extravagant, white marble buildings and golden statues. Walking around notable sites such as Independence Park and the Arch of Neutrality, we’ll learn something of this intriguing country’s more recent history under Soviet and then totalitarian rule, which will set the scene for the rest of our trip.
*Early check-in has been included today.
Day 2 Ashgabat: Old Nisa, Turkmen Horses & an Overnight Train
Day 2 Ashgabat: Old Nisa, Turkmen Horses & an Overnight Train
A second day in the capital gives us the chance to dig a little deeper and explore some of the fascinating sites a little outside the city. We’ll head out to visit the ancient Parthian fortress of Old Nisa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as check out a local swimming spot in the underground Kow Ata Lake, said to have therapeutic properties. At a nearby stud farm we can also learn more about the Akhal-Teke Turkmen breed of horse, known for its beauty, that the country is so rightly proud of. Later this evening, we’ll prepare ourselves for a very local experience as we board an old Soviet sleeper train and settle into our private cabins for the overnight journey.
Day 3 Turkmenbashi – Gozli Ata – Yangikala Canyons: Wild Canyon Camping
Day 3 Turkmenbashi – Gozli Ata – Yangikala Canyons: Wild Canyon Camping
Waking up in the Caspian Sea port town of Turkmenbashi, we’ll enjoy some breakfast in town before taking our 4WD vehicles into the magical rose-and-white tinted canyons of Yangikala. Along the way, will be a stop at a pilgrimage site that marks the final resting place of a renowned 12th century Sufi teacher, Gozli Ata, who met his death at the hands of Mongol invaders. An afternoon arrival at a carefully chosen spot in the remote canyons allows us time to set up camp and hopefully (time and weather dependent) head out and explore the beautiful landscapes around us on foot, before dinner under the starry night sky.
Approx. driving distance 170 km, 3-4 hours
Day 4 Yangikala Canyons – Kemal Ata – Idge Kala: Across the Karakum Desert
Day 4 Yangikala Canyons – Kemal Ata – Idge Kala: Across the Karakum Desert
Harking back to the days of long voyages across the ancient Silk Road, an early start and a stunning sunrise of dramatic colours and shapes left behind by a river that once flowed across these lands sees us continue on our longest travel day through the endless wilderness of the desert. Translating as ‘Black Sand’ and occupying 70% of the country’s landmass, the vast Karakum Desert covers some 350,000 km2 and our journey across it takes us through some interesting geological formations including the spherical stones at Kemal Ata and along part of the ancient Uzboy River bed. Our campsite this evening will be set up not far from the ruins of the Parthian fortress at Idge Kala which once controlled the important and lucrative water trade between India and the Black Sea.
Approx. driving distance 300 km, 10-12 hours
Day 5 Idge Kala – Darvaza: Fiery Gas Crater
Day 5 Idge Kala – Darvaza: Fiery Gas Crater
Without fear of running into booby traps or Mongol invaders, today we embark on another long day’s passage through the sweeping desert, which transforms from rocky desert canyons and low mountains to a sea of sand dunes as we journey deeper. Arriving at the Darvaza gas crater, also known as the ‘Gates of Hell’ and considered one of Turkmenistan’s most memorable sites, we’ll set up camp nearby before heading over to the fiery pit as night falls to see it in all its glory. Said to have been the result of a Soviet gas exploration mission, the crater’s flames have been burning for over 40 years, kept alive by the large deposits of natural gas found beneath the desert floor.
Approx. driving distance 200 km, 8-10 hours
Day 6 Darvaza – Dashoguz: UNESCO City of Ancient Konye Urgench
Day 6 Darvaza – Dashoguz: UNESCO City of Ancient Konye Urgench
The final leg of this part of the journey sees us exiting the desert to reach the UNESCO inscribed site of Konye Urgench, once the ancient capital of Khorezm. Sat on the banks of the Amu Darya River, Konye Urgench (and wider Khorezm), was an important oasis of civilisation in the Central Asian deserts and became one of the Silk Road’s most important trading cities. Today still stand some 11th – 16th century examples of the great architectural achievements of the city and kingdom, which we will explore before arriving at our hotel in the city of Dashoguz for a well-earned shower.
Approx. driving distance 330 km, 7-8 hours
Day 7 Dashoguz – Mary: UNESCO City of Ancient Merv
Day 7 Dashoguz – Mary: UNESCO City of Ancient Merv
After a leisurely morning at the hotel, we'll once again cross the desert, this time from the air via a scenic flight south to the city of Mary. From here, visitors to the country can access what is perhaps the country’s most well-known archaeological site, that of the ancient city of Merv. Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ruins of ancient Merv sit on the banks of the Murghab River having once lain at an important crossroads from which caravans would head out along all points of the compass towards Khiva, Bukhara, Balkh and Herat. Known as ‘The Queen of the World’, it was a cultural beacon for Christians, Buddhists, Muslims and Zoroastrians alike, until its brutal and complete destruction by the Mongols under Genghis Khan in 1221. This afternoon will be spent exploring the site before settling into our hotel in gateway city of Mary.
Day 8 Mary: Gonor Depe Ruins & Mary Museum
Day 8 Mary: Gonor Depe Ruins & Mary Museum
As well as the historical site of Merv, Mary is a convenient base from which to reach the Bronze Age fortress, palace, administrative centre and temple complex of Gonur Depe, which we will have the opportunity to visit today. As well as its age, the site is impressive in its location, built atop a large natural plateau. It is thought that this may have been the capital of the ancient Margiana civilisation which flourished throughout Turkmenistan from the 16th to 13th centuries BC. Later in the afternoon, there'll be the chance to pop into the local history museum which holds a rich repository of archeological finds from the sites of Gonor Depe and Merv, some of which dates back to the 3rd Millenium BC and helped to shape our understanding of ancient Merv as one of the greatest cities of Central Asia at the time.
Day 9 Mary - Ashgabat: Abiverd & Anau Ruins
Day 9 Mary - Ashgabat: Abiverd & Anau Ruins
As the adventure winds down, we can take things easy today and slowly make our way back to Ashgabat, stopping off at the histoical sites and ruins at Abiverd and Anau just before arriving. We'll have a bit of downtime in the capital this afternoon before enjoying a farewell dinner in the evening.
Day 10 Tour ends in Ashgabat
Day 10 Tour ends in Ashgabat
The adventure ends today as those on the suggested group tour flights are taken to the airport early this morning. Anyone wishing to stay on is welcome to continue to use the hotel until check out.
ACCOMMODATION USED ON THIS TOUR
Divan Hotel, Ashgabat
The modern, high-end hotel built in 1996 was renovated over the pandemic and is one of the few hotels located within the city centre, near the Independence Monument and government buildings. The hotel has 128 rooms, all with air-conditioning, colour TV and private bathrooms. There is also an on-site restaurant, lobby bar, business centre and other leisure and fitness facilities including a health club with sauna, swimming pool and tennis courts. Other restaurants and cafes can be found within a 20-minute walk for more variety.
Darvaza Crater Camping, Darvaza
Staying overnight in the Karakum Desert is a one-of-a-kind experience that requires special camping permits. Tents, mattresses and sleeping bags are provided to make your camping stay comfortable and hassle-free. The camping team are fully qualified, well acquainted with the area and have been taking care of our clients for years so you will be well looked after, with a typical Turkmen breakfast and dinner served at camp. Travellers should be aware that the wild campsite is very basic with no real toilet or washing facilities.
Dashoguz Hotel, Dashoguz
A new hotel near the centre of Dashoguz clad in the obligatory Turkmen white marble with decadent fountains and alleys of trees within the grounds. The hotel is modern and spacious with a contemporary ornate look inside. Rooms are comfortable with the usual amenities including an en suite, telephone, hair dryer and air conditioning decorated in calming cream and coffee colours. The large restaurant and bar serve a menu intertwining national and Eastern European cuisine. When not exploring the nearby monuments and historical sights, make use of the indoor pool and fitness centre. The on-site souvenir shop is ideal for any last-minute gift shopping for loved ones at home.
Mary Hotel, Mary
Mary Hotel is a large, three-star hotel located in the heart of Mary, ideally situated opposite the town's bazaar. The hotel is made up of 175 spacious, ensuite rooms decorated in opulent colours of beige, cream and gold. Each room is fitted with air conditioning and comes with standard amenities. The six-floor building has a restaurant offering a variety of traditional dishes, a fitness centre, an outdoor pool and a sauna for guests to enjoy at their leisure. Additionally, the hotel has a hairdresser and chemist located on site. The pool is only open during the height of the peak season and services become limited towards the end. Although services and facilities at the Mary hotel are not what they once were, it remains the best option in the city.
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Accommodation displayed here should be taken as a guide only. *Please refer to the Detailed Itinerary of your individual departure for more information.
PRIVATE HOLIDAYS: DATES DON’T FIT?
All group tours can be taken on a private basis.
Additional Details
Responsible Travel
With local people, culture and eco-systems in mind, responsible travel and sustainable tourism are at the core of Wild Frontiers. We believe that a successful trip not only delivers a unique and unsurpassable journey for our travellers but also benefits the people and places we visit.
When designing our tours, we actively seek out experiences that have a positive impact on the communities and precious environments we visit - from supporting social enterprises; resting our heads in rural homestays; and eating at locally owned restaurants; to helping fund conservation projects that protect wildlife and their habitats.
Visit the Responsible Travel area of our website to read more, including the work of the Wild Frontiers Foundation through which we fundraise to aid community empowerment and education projects.
Reducing Single Use Plastic
We recognise the environmental issues and challenges around single-use plastic in many countries we visit and are actively working with our partners on the ground to reduce plastic waste on our tours and within the hotels and restaurants we visit. You can help to reduce your personal plastic waste by taking a refillable, filtered water bottle with you on your trip. Filtered water bottles can be refilled from water sources including your hotel room and restaurant taps, drinking fountains and refill stations. Every time you refill your bottle without the use of single-use plastic, you will be helping to reduce waste and protect the environment. Filtered Water Bottles | Wild Frontiers (wildfrontierstravel.com)
Getting There
If you would like us to send you a quote for the suggested tour flights or on any alternative flight that may suit you better, please let us know, noting that for our US clients, we will most likely refer you to one of our preferred partners. For this trip our suggested flights from the UK (subject to change) are shown below.
If you wish to arrange your own flights you are completely free to do so and in this case we can arrange any transfers or supplementary accommodation that you may require. However please note that if you are planning on making your own flight arrangements, we recommend that you first check with us to see if the trip is guaranteed. We then suggest that you purchase flights that are flexible and ideally refundable as due to the nature of adventure travel, itineraries and destination accessibility can change at any time. For more information, please refer to our booking conditions.
| Flight Code | Departing | Arriving |
|---|---|---|
| TK 1980 | London Heathrow (LHR) 11:20 | Istanbul (IST) 17:10 |
| TK 0322 | Istanbul (IST) 20:15 | Ashgabat Airport (ASB) 01:50 |
| TK 0325 | Ashgabat Airport (ASB) 08:15 | Istanbul (IST) 10:30 |
| TK 1985 | Istanbul (IST) 13:05 | London Heathrow (LHR) 15:05 |
Visas & Vaccinations
VISAS
Visas are necessary for many of the destinations we travel to and while we aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information, requirements frequently change and as such for the latest advice we advise that you check with the relevant embassies or contact a reputable visa agency. More details can be found here - https://www.wildfrontierstravel.com/visa
For this tour UK passport holders currently require a visa for Turkmenistan.
Passports should ideally be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the end of your tour.
Non-UK passport holders or non-UK residents should contact the relevant embassies for individual requirements.
VACCINATIONS & ADDITIONAL TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements for travellers to Turkmenistan.
For all destinations, please make sure you are up-to-date with any standard vaccinations (e.g. MMR, Hepatitis A, Tetanus) as recommended by your local health care provider.
For the most up-to-date information on all vaccination requirements and the most suitable anti-malarial tablets, we strongly suggest that you seek advice from your local travel centre or consult an official travel health website such as www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or www.travelhealthpro.org.uk
Covid Testing: Currently everyone entering Turkmenistan will be tested for COVID-19 on arrival, for which a fee (approximately USD $43) will be charged.
If necessary further details will be sent out to you upon booking, however ensuring that correct and valid visas & vaccinations are obtained remains the sole responsibility of the client.
Extensions
If you have more time available, why not arrive early to adjust to a new time zone or just to get a feel for the country before your tour starts? Alternatively, you might choose to allow a few extra days after the tour to relax or to undertake some further exploration.
The choice is completely yours and we can usually arrange anything from simply additional accommodation and transfers to full tailor-made itineraries*. Please contact the office for more details and to discuss your requirements.
*Please note bespoke, tailor-made itineraries need to be a minimum of 7 days and we can only offer them in countries where we have a tailor-made expert
Governmental Travel Advice
Many governments issue advice which highlights potential hazards their citizens might experience when travelling abroad. We strongly suggest you refer to your country’s particular advisory site before booking and contact us if you have any queries or concerns. Click to follow links to the advice of the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the US State Department.
Non-UK citizens should consult the travel advice of their respective governments.
Key Information
CLIMATE
On average, Turkmenistan tends to experience quite pleasant temperatures (around the 20Cs) in the spring and autumn months. Conditions in the desert, which occupies much of the country, can bring about extreme temperatures at the height of the summer and winter periods. Even during the moderate daytime temperatures that April – June and September – October tend to bring, desert campers will see a sharp decline at night dropping around 10C.
IS THIS TRIP FOR ME?
It may sound obvious, but not all Wild Frontiers tours are the same, and it is important that you choose a tour which is suitable for you. To help you decide and ensure you choose a suitable tour, please refer to our helpful guide here. As a minimum, you should make sure that you read the day-by-day itinerary and the Key Aspects to Consider sections carefully. Should you still have any concerns about your ability to partake in any aspect of the tour, then please contact us.
KEY ASPECTS TO CONSIDER
Anyone in a reasonable state of health, with an open mind and a sense of adventure should be perfectly able to cope with this tour. It is important to note, however, that three full days and nights are spent exploring and camping in the vast Turkmen desert. The remoteness of the area necessitates some very long, bumpy drives in 4WDs to access. Addtionally, lack of accommodation in the desert means that we will be setting up basic camping tents in the wild each evening with no permanent facilities - all adding to the fun! - so clients should have this style of travel in mind when booking.
Unpredictable decision-making of the Turkmen authorities means that there is always the lingering possibility that last-minute changes and re-routing of the trip may need to take place, which is important to note when travelling to a country like Turkmenistan. Though, in practice, we have experienced relatively few issues over all our years travelling there.
Lastly, please be advised that on this trip vegetarians can be catered for, but the selection and variety is likely to be limited.
NEW TOURS
Never complacent, here at Wild Frontiers we are continually on the look-out for new tour ideas. Each year we aim to put on a selection of new tours in order to continually provide our clients with a fresh and varied choice of some of the best journeys on the planet. Although a lot of fun, these tours will often involve a greater element of unpredictability than our better-established tours, so please come prepared.
THE NATURE OF ADVENTURE TRAVEL
We feel that it’s worth pointing out that while we will always strive to stick as close to the stated itinerary as possible, it may be necessary from time to time to make changes to our itineraries or services (due to weather, political and religious influences etc.) and this can happen with little or no notice. This unpredictability can be one of the most exciting aspects of adventure travel and for many of our clients often leads to unexpected highlights as the tour-leader necessarily adapts the tour to the changing conditions. However we are aware that this lack of assuredness may not suit everyone. As such, with the greatest respect, if you are someone who needs to know that everything will happen exactly as planned, we would kindly suggest that perhaps our tours are not for you. Adventure travel can be infectious and once you’ve caught the bug, it is likely to never leave you, but especially if this is your first such tour we would strongly urge you to give us a call if you have any concerns whatsoever about your suitability for this trip.
TRAVELLING SOLO AND SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS
As a company approximately 70% of our clients are solo travellers, so it’s very unlikely you’ll be alone!
Our prices are typically based on twin-share accommodation but single supplements are not compulsory for any Wild Frontiers tour. If you prefer not to pay a single supplement we’ll pair you with someone else of the same sex for you to share with throughout the trip. On this trip, if you do opt to pay for a single supplement then please note that it will cover you for all nights of the tour including all camping nights and a private cabin on the overnight train.
Please note that paying a single supplement entitles you to lone occupancy of a single room. In many cases these rooms will be of the same size as a double/twin room, but in some cases they may be smaller.
INSURANCE
Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours. You should be aware that due to some of the geographical areas visited and some of the activities included on certain of our trips some standard insurance policies may not always provide adequate cover. As such we strongly recommend that you purchase a policy that adequately covers your trip. Please see the Insurance section for more details.
General Information
TOUR PRICE
All our tours are priced on a land-only basis, giving you maximum flexibility when deciding how to get to and from your tour.
DEPOSIT
A 10% deposit is required to confirm your booking.
PROTECTION FOR YOUR MONEY
For further details please see our travelling with peace of mind page
WILD MILES
This tour will earn you 5882 Wild Miles
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
We believe in a completely transparent approach to pricing with no hidden extras. As such, please note that the following are not included in the cost of the tour.
Visas & Travel Insurance: Visas will always be tour/nationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatory
Tips: Always optional but some guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documents
International Flights: Please ask us for an obligation-free quote for flights which originate in the UK
Airport Transfers: We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights
Beverages & any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs
WILD FRONTIERS COMMUNITY
If you’re still not sure if this trip is right or just want to see get some different perspectives, then why not have a look at the wide variety of resources we have on our website? Browse our community section to read our blogs, watch videos and find out about our events.
WHY WILD FRONTIERS?
We are frequently asked what makes Wild Frontiers different from other tour operators. Visit our Why Wild Frontiers page to find out.